Blab Music
Red Ants Pants Festival Relies on 250 Volunteers to Keep Music and Community Alive
White Sulphur Springs, Montana – In the warm July air outside the town’s historic springs, the Red Ants Pants Music Festival turns a modest field into a bustling hub of sound and solidarity. Every year, the event draws thousands of music lovers, but its survival hinges on a dedicated volunteer workforce that tackles everything from wristband scans to post‑concert clean‑up.
This season, 250 volunteers logged more than 1,700 hours of service, a contribution the festival’s organizers estimate is worth roughly $62,000 in donated labor. "They really are the heart of the community," said Shannon Stober, the festival’s volunteer coordinator. Stober added that many volunteers buy festival passes and then sign up to give back, citing a deep care for the event’s mission.
Volunteer roles span the entire spectrum of festival operations. Some greet attendees at the gate, others serve drinks, help people navigate the grounds, and a handful stay after the final encore to haul trash and restore the field. The roster includes people traveling from across Montana and even from other states, as well as families who make the festival a yearly outing. The volunteer schedule is organized and welcoming, even for first‑time participants.
Melodie Snyder, who had been a vendor at last year’s festival, switched to a volunteer shift this year after traveling from Billings. "I just love helping, and I love the vibes," Snyder said. "I love live music. I love serving people." She found time to enjoy the music while contributing to the event.
At the front gate, Eric “EJ” Lawrence, originally from St. Louis, checked wristbands and met festivalgoers. "I love seeing the look on people’s faces," Lawrence said. "I love seeing how excited people are to get here." Lawrence had never attended the festival before, but his shift introduced him to visitors and fellow volunteers from across the country.
The festival is a program of the 501(c)(3) Red Ants Pants Foundation, whose mission is to develop leadership roles for women, support working family farms and ranches, and enrich rural communities. Stober also serves as lead facilitator for the foundation’s Girls Leadership Program (GLP). The GLP brings together junior‑year high‑school girls from communities across Montana for three retreats, a community project, and mentorship from adult women. The program emphasizes leadership, courage, pride in rural life, and hope for the future.
Stober said the program is "a wonderful way to get these young women together outside of their little bubbles, working with a larger community." Alumni of the GLP returned to the festival this year to help with youth activities and fill other staff roles. "They’ve kind of risen the ranks and are involved with all areas of the foundation," Stober added. "They’re creating space for a new generation to step forward and become part of that work."
Volunteer service at the festival also supports the foundation’s broader initiatives. The foundation has awarded over $100,000 in grants to businesses and community projects in Montana, and proceeds from the festival fund the GLP and other programs.
Applications for the next cohort of the Girls Leadership Program are open through September 11, with the program scheduled to begin in the fall. The festival, which draws thousands each year to a 900‑person community, remains a key revenue source for the foundation and a hub for community engagement.
In short, the Red Ants Pants Music Festival depends on a dedicated volunteer base to operate, and the festival’s success feeds back into the foundation’s mission to empower women and strengthen rural Montana. The next festival weekend will again showcase the music, the community, and the volunteer spirit that keeps the event alive.
This season, 250 volunteers logged more than 1,700 hours of service, a contribution the festival’s organizers estimate is worth roughly $62,000 in donated labor. "They really are the heart of the community," said Shannon Stober, the festival’s volunteer coordinator. Stober added that many volunteers buy festival passes and then sign up to give back, citing a deep care for the event’s mission.
Volunteer roles span the entire spectrum of festival operations. Some greet attendees at the gate, others serve drinks, help people navigate the grounds, and a handful stay after the final encore to haul trash and restore the field. The roster includes people traveling from across Montana and even from other states, as well as families who make the festival a yearly outing. The volunteer schedule is organized and welcoming, even for first‑time participants.
Melodie Snyder, who had been a vendor at last year’s festival, switched to a volunteer shift this year after traveling from Billings. "I just love helping, and I love the vibes," Snyder said. "I love live music. I love serving people." She found time to enjoy the music while contributing to the event.
At the front gate, Eric “EJ” Lawrence, originally from St. Louis, checked wristbands and met festivalgoers. "I love seeing the look on people’s faces," Lawrence said. "I love seeing how excited people are to get here." Lawrence had never attended the festival before, but his shift introduced him to visitors and fellow volunteers from across the country.
The festival is a program of the 501(c)(3) Red Ants Pants Foundation, whose mission is to develop leadership roles for women, support working family farms and ranches, and enrich rural communities. Stober also serves as lead facilitator for the foundation’s Girls Leadership Program (GLP). The GLP brings together junior‑year high‑school girls from communities across Montana for three retreats, a community project, and mentorship from adult women. The program emphasizes leadership, courage, pride in rural life, and hope for the future.
Stober said the program is "a wonderful way to get these young women together outside of their little bubbles, working with a larger community." Alumni of the GLP returned to the festival this year to help with youth activities and fill other staff roles. "They’ve kind of risen the ranks and are involved with all areas of the foundation," Stober added. "They’re creating space for a new generation to step forward and become part of that work."
Volunteer service at the festival also supports the foundation’s broader initiatives. The foundation has awarded over $100,000 in grants to businesses and community projects in Montana, and proceeds from the festival fund the GLP and other programs.
Applications for the next cohort of the Girls Leadership Program are open through September 11, with the program scheduled to begin in the fall. The festival, which draws thousands each year to a 900‑person community, remains a key revenue source for the foundation and a hub for community engagement.
In short, the Red Ants Pants Music Festival depends on a dedicated volunteer base to operate, and the festival’s success feeds back into the foundation’s mission to empower women and strengthen rural Montana. The next festival weekend will again showcase the music, the community, and the volunteer spirit that keeps the event alive.
